1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mobile articulatable tank cleaning water washing robot. More particularly, this invention relates to a mobile articulatable water washing robot for cleaning the interior of hydrocarbon storage tanks of the type used in petroleum refiners and chemical plants for storing large volumes of hydrocarbon liquids. Still more particularly, this invention relates to a water washing robot comprising a frame having positive displacement water pump means mounted therein, robot articulation means disconnectably mounted on the frame and nozzled articulatable wash water jetting means disconnectably mountable on the frame so that the robot, in unassembled form, can be transported to the interior of an oil storage tank through an entryway adjacent the bottom thereof and assembled in the oil storage tank for use in cleaning the tank. Appropriate means are also provided for supplying water under pressure to the articulatable water washing means and for delivering hydraulic fluid under pressure to hydraulic power means for the robot articulation means, the articulatable water jetting means and the positive displacement water pump means. Hydraulic control means interconnectable with the robot and hydraulic power means are also provided in order to control the movement of the robot and the water washing action thereof.
2. Prior Art
It is a known practice to use submerged robots for cleaning the surfaces of a swimming pool. Robots of this nature may be designed for remote control by an operator as shown, for example, by Sommer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,154,680 or for random travel during cleaning action as shown, for example, by Greskovics et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,558,479. Other examples of swimming pool cleaning devices include those disclosed in Sable, U.S. Pat. No. 4,289,155, second Sommer patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,022 and Altschul, U.S. Pat. No. 4,429,429.
Hydraulic powered remotely controlled robots have also been used in mining operations as shown, for example, by Salinger U.S. Pat. No. 1,372,317 and Gold U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,862.
However, insofar as Applicant is aware, hydraulically powered, remiotely controlled articulatable robots for cleaning large hydrocarbon storage tanks have not heretofore been proposed by those skilled in the art of hydrocarbon storage tank cleaning.